Turmeric powder has long been used as a delicious spice in cuisines from South Asia. But it can have plentiful health benefits, from easing indigestion to preventing dangerous neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Although turmeric can be somewhat bitter and unpalatable in its raw form, there are many ways you can incorporate this powerful antioxidant into your daily diet and healthcare routine.

Steps

Method1

Taking Turmeric in Different Forms

1

Take it in its root form. Turmeric can be found in the stem of the curcuma longa plant. A close relative of ginger, you can eat it in its raw root form, although this might have a bitter flavor to it.[1]

You should aim for 1.5 to 3 g of the root each day.

2

Add powdered turmeric to food and liquids. Turmeric is commonly available in powder form. You should aim to incorporate 400 – 600 mg, three times a day.You can add it to sauces, soups or to drinks like milk and tea.[2]

To make turmeric tea, boil 1 cup of water and dissolve 2 grams of turmeric powder into the water. You can also add lemon, honey and ginger to improve the flavor of the tea.

If tea is not your preferred drink, you can also add one teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of milk in order to add antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to it.

3

Use a turmeric tincture. In its tincture form, all of the benefits of the turmeric root have been extracted into a liquid. You can easily add two to three drops of turmeric tincture to water, tea, soup, or any other liquid that you consume on a daily basis.

You can buy turmeric tincture at most health food stores or in the vitamin section of your local grocery store.

4

Make a turmeric paste. If you suffer from cuts or burns, a turmeric paste might be the best method for reaping its benefits because you can place it directly on the affected area.

Mix water, turmeric powder and ginger powder together. Use a clean, sterilized spatula or brush to apply to the injured area. If you use your hands, make sure they are clean before you apply the paste. Keep on the afflicted area for a few hours.[3]

To heal minor burns, you can apply turmeric and aloe vera paste. Mix equal amounts of turmeric powder and aloe vera together to create a paste.[4]

5

Take it as a pill. Turmeric is also available in capsule form. The dosage may vary between different packages, but pills are generally 350 mg. You should take one to three pills a dat. If you are experiencing an upset stomach, you might take a higher dosage (three pills). You can find it in the vitamin section of your local grocery store.[5]

Method2

Knowing When To Avoid Turmeric

1

Regulate your dosage. Although turmeric can have enormous benefits for most healthy patients, you should make sure not to exceed recommended dosages or this can lead to an upset stomach. Consult your doctor for the appropriate amount of turmeric to include in your daily diet.

2

Do not take turmeric medicinally if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. While normal amounts of turmeric in food should be fine to consume, do not add additional dosages in capsule or liquid form.[6]

3

Avoid if you have diabetes. If you have an abnormal blood sugar level, talk to your doctor before you begin a course of turmeric. Turmeric has been shown to lower blood sugar levels; if you suffer from low blood sugar you should avoid taking turmeric medicinally.[7]

Turmeric might also interfere with any prescription medications you are taking to treat diabetes.

4

Avoid if you suffer from excessive stomach acid. If you are taking medication to control stomach acid — such as Pepcid, Zantac, or Prilosec — then avoid taking turmeric because it can interfere with those medications.[8]

5

Avoid turmeric if you have gallbladder problems. If your gallbladder is healthy, turmeric can help regulate the amount of bile it produces. But if you have problems with your gallbladder, then turmeric can have a negative impact on it, leading to gallstones or the obstruction of the bile duct.[9]

Method3

Learning the Benefits of Turmeric

1

Relieve indigestion. Turmeric contains a powerful element called curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to ease indigestion because of its effect on the gallbladder. By prompting the gallbladder to produce more bile, curcumin can improve digestion and soothe the symptoms of bloating.[10]

2

Reduce inflammation. Curcumin is also an effective anti-inflammatory. As such, it can help ease a wide range of medical conditions, from arthritis and psoriasis to chronic back or neck pain.

Curcumin prevents the activation of the COX 2 gene, which produces an enzyme that can lead to painful inflammation.[11]

3

Heal cuts and wounds. Turmeric has strong antibacterial properties, which can help heal cuts and protect them from infection.[12]

4

Prevent heart disease. Heart disease is often caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries leading to the heart. Turmeric's anti-inflammatory elements improve blood circulation while also keeping your arteries clear from plaque.[13]

Using turmeric for healthy blood circulation can reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

5

Prevent cancer. Although there are no definitive studies on the role of turmeric as an inhibitor to cancer, preliminary results suggest that turmeric can slow or prevent the development of cancerous cells in the colon, prostrate and the lungs.[14]

Populations in India have some of the lowest rates of cancer in these organs (13 times lower than in the United States). Many researchers believe spices such as turmeric in curry dishes are responsible for these low rates.

Turmeric's strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are largely thought to be helpful in preventing cancer. Inflammation is often a factor in the development of cancerous tumor cells.[15]

Do not attempt to cure cancer using only natural vitamins and herbs. If you have cancer, you should work with an oncologist for treatment.

Community Q&A

Turmeric may be useful to help treat a lipoma, but there is no solid evidence that it can cure a lipoma. Put 1 teaspoon of turmeric together with 2-3 tablespoons of neem oil or flaxseed oil. Smooth the ointment onto the lipoma. This is an approach used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat lipomas, benign (non-cancerous) tumors of fat cells.

Talk to your doctor and pharmacist first. It may depend on the blood pressure medication you are taking. Also, turmeric can lower blood pressure, so taking it with a blood pressure medication may lower the blood pressure too much.

Turmeric may be acting as an anti-inflammatory substance in psoriasis. It is believed that the active agent in turmeric is curcumin. Curcumin, in addition to acting as an anti-inflammatory substance, may also slow down an enzyme (PhK) that may be associated with the rapid cell growth that occurs in psoriasis.

If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.

Tips

Many doctors compare the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of turmeric to over-the-counter non-steroidal pain medications, except turmeric contains far fewer risks and side effects than these drugs.

The curcumin in turmeric and the spice cumin have similar properties. They are both antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, but cumin does not appear to be as effective as turmeric.

About this wikiHow

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"Helped me because I've always believed that herbs are beneficial for most diseases. I've proven this with cayenne pepper. I normally suffer from heartburn and back pain, but as soon as I drink that in hot or warm water, the pain goes away. I truly believe this will do the same. I'll be trying it today and I'll let you know the results. I hope my depression will subside a bit, because I'm taking care of my mom, who is turning 92 in May. Thank you for the information. Keep up the good work. God bless you all."..." more- Grace Sikhakhane

"The information is extremely helpful and very informative! It encourages you and you can't wait to try it! It answers a lot of questions I had, and reaffirms what information I already knew. Thank you."..." more- Carolyn Mitchell

"I just read the article. I am a type 2 diabetic. It didn't occur to me that turmeric could be dangerous. Now I've got to be careful and reserved on how to use it."..." more- Yohannes Afework

It answers the questions I had about the method, dose, and form of turmeric to be consumed!
- P. P.

A very open and instructive dialogue in all manner of usage with this herbal formula.
- Marc Pinci